Pubdate: Sat, 03 Mar 2001
Source: Canberra Times (Australia)
Copyright: 2001 Canberra Times
Contact:  9 Pirie Street , Fyshwick, Canberra, ACT 2609
Fax: 02 6280 2282
Website: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/
Author: Scott Hannaford

EX-AFP OFFICER ADMITS DRUG ROLE

A former senior AFP drug squad officer pleaded guilty yesterday of helping 
her boyfriend buy heroin and told the ACT Supreme Court she would "do it 
all again" if she found herself in the same situation.

Sheryl Leanne Hedges, 37, of Queanbeyan, was charged with knowingly 
assisting in obtaining heroin. She told the court she had tried to help her 
boyfriend and now husband, 37-year-old Michael John Turski, manage his 
heroin addiction by giving him money and accompanying him to buy the drugs.

She told the court her only regret was the shame the incident had caused to 
the Australian Federal Police and to her family.

"At the end of the day I would do it again because he's drug free now . . . 
and is a decent and useful member of society."

She told the court she had helped him manage his habit and to eventually 
give up through a rapid detoxification.

The court heard Hedges had lost a family member to heroin and wanted to 
help Turski kick his habit because she had seen how destructive the drug 
could be to a family.

Her defence counsel argued that rather than be prosecuted Hedges should be 
commended for helping Turski become clean and turn his life around.

Her counsel said that the loss of her career as an AFP detective sergeant 
had been punishment enough.

Hedges admitted experimenting with cannabis in her youth but said she had 
passed all drug tests required of her in her time with the AFP.

"I don't think there is anywhere in Australia where you can buy safe heroin 
. . . [but] I could at least look after his safety and welfare even if I 
couldn't control his habit," she told the court.

Chief Justice Jeffrey Miles said it had become commonly accepted that 
police arrested heroin dealers and not users and questioned why the matter 
had been brought before the Supreme Court.

"Police wouldn't be able to do anything else if they spent all day chasing 
heroin users . . . and there are maybe hundreds of people in this town 
doing the same thing because they believe they are helping their loved ones 
by feeding their drug habit," Justice Miles said.

The Chief Justice said it was unlikely he would ever know all the details 
of the matter and ordered that the Director of Public Prosecutions give a 
written submission that they would not pursue other charges against Hedges 
which had been dropped by the prosecution.

He placed Hedges a $1000 two-year good-behaviour bond and will publish his 
written reasons for the decision next week.
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